Whiteface highway being plowed for generator work

November 28, 2012

WILMINGTON - The state will continue plowing and salting the Whiteface Mountain Veterans Highway over the next week or two to complete installation of a generator near the mountain's summit.

State Department of Environmental Conservation spokesman David Winchell said in an email that DEC crews are installing a backup generator and housing for it near the parking area at the top of the road. The generator will provide power to radio and scientific equipment on Whiteface's summit in the event of a power outage, Winchell said.

The veterans highway winds 5 miles to from the gate house to the castle building near the summit of the 4,867-foot peak. It operates in the summer and fall as a tourist attraction. The road is typically closed in the winter when it becomes a popular cross-country ski route.

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This reporter skied the lower portion of the road Tuesday but was forced to stay on the shoulder because most of the snow had been either been plowed off the road or had melted from the application of sand and salt.

Winchell said the road may not be skiable while the work is going on over the next one to two weeks. He said people who use it should be aware of snowplows and use caution when they approach.